Police Departments by County

About Police Departments

What does it mean for a Police Department to be accredited?

Accredited Police Departments have gone through the accrediting process of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). CALEA is a non-profit professional organization that assesses the policies and procedures of law enforcement agencies. Accredited Police Departments are considered to have implemented best practices in law enforcement.

What is Community Policing?

Community Policing is an approach to public safety that involves building relationships between the Police and individuals and groups in a community to help solve problems and prevent crime. Community Policing is intended to be proactive in nature by addressing social disorder and other causes of crime.

What kinds of special purpose districts have Police Departments?

In addition to state, county, and local Police forces, states often confer police powers to other government agencies and entities. Special purpose Police Departments are commonly found at universities and colleges, transit authorities, port authorities, airports, and conservation agencies.